The Truth
by baronessie
Summary: A brief "what if" scenario. What if, after Jared kisses her, Wanda couldn't get out of the box-filled hole by herself? What if Jared had the sympathy to help her? Good spelling/grammar is guaranteed.


**So this is just a brief little "what if" scenario... it's been percolating in head for quite some time now, so I decided to finally just write it down. For now it's a one-shot but I might decide to write a little more on it if I get any inspiration. Please tell me what you think!**

**(Just for clarification in case you haven't read The Host in a while: this takes place when Wanda dives into the box-filled hole after Jared kisses her. In the book, she has difficulty getting herself out but she manages to do it. In my version, she can't get out and needs help.)**

The Truth

_I didn't care about the noise anymore, I just wanted out. I swore to myself that I would never cross the threshold of this wretched pit again- death first. Literally._

_It was harder to worm out that it had been to dive in. I wiggled and squired around until I felt like I was making things worse, bending myself into the shape of a lopsided pretzel. I started to cry again, like a child, afraid that I would never get free._

_***_

I tried again, but I was only working myself further in. A sharp gasp escaped me when my struggling caused the corner of a box to jab at a spot on my side which was already bruised. I soon realized the truth- I couldn't get out. I stopped struggling. My whole aching body shuddered as a new sob broke loose.

"Help," I whimpered- mostly to myself- in a small voice.

In the absence of noise which accompanied my halted struggles, I suddenly heard something shifting. Boxes. I froze, listening. Then I could feel them moving as well- someone was pulling the boxes out of the cramped hole. As it became less crowded and the boxes began shifting away from me to occupy new space, I wilted without grace to the rough, curved floor. A groan formed in my throat- half pain, half relief.

I didn't move, my body was too sore. Every spot was tender, and my chest still ached from the pain of rejection. I lay still and listened to my own breathing. There was no other noise for a moment, until I heard more shifting coming from somewhere. Something nudged my shoe, and then I felt something that was most definitely not the edge of a box.

A hand touched my ankle. My breath caught, and my muscles locked in surprise. I didn't move. The hand was gentle, tracing up my calf and then curling around the side of my leg which was resting on the floor. My skin felt hot under the touch of that hand- it could only be one person.

_Jared,_ Melanie breathed in my mind.

Before I could make much of this, I was being lifted. Another hand grasped under my waist and then I was being eased out of the cramped space. I closed my eyes when the light of a lantern hit them, and then I was laying on the mat outside the hole, my breath ragged- I was still half-sobbing. The hands did not release me- I could hear his breath, slightly labored from the exertion.

I didn't want to have to face him, I wanted to disappear again. The best I could do was try to curl up into a ball on the mat. But he was still holding me. Instead of moving away, Jared got me upright, and then, to my utter shock, pulled me onto his lap.

My eyes flew open and I froze- my muscles locked in place while my heart began beating violently. I could feel Melanie's shock, which mirrored my own. She was silent, practically holding her breath in the back of my mind. What on earth was he _doing_? Jared's arm wrapped carefully around my sore shoulders. I turned my head away from him, closing my eyes again. I couldn't understand his actions, and I was too spent to try now. I tried with little success to control my breathing.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

Even now I could hear the hope coloring his voice- did his test make him believe that Melanie was still present in my mind? That was the only explanation- the only way he could possibly bear this proximity to me. I shuddered slightly, shying away from the fresh memory of my fist- Melanie's fist- making contact with his face. Surely he wouldn't think me capable of such violence. My thoughts were interrupted when his warm hand cupped my cheek, coaxing my face towards him. My skin burned where it met his.

"Mel?" he whispered.

My eyes flashed up without my permission and locked with his. I could see the hope there, too. He leaned his face closer to mine- I felt trapped. I couldn't make my muscles move to get away from him.

"Is she there?" Jared demanded, his breath blowing across my face.

I didn't know what to do. Melanie was straining against my control, fighting violently to break free. It was impossible to think while being assaulted from both sides.

"Tell me," he commanded with more volume.

_Tell him, _Melanie shouted in my head. _Tell him the truth._

It was too much, I couldn't handle it anymore. I felt like I was about to break in half from the onslaught.

"Yes," I whispered in a shaky voice.

My eyes wouldn't close- they stayed locked with his. I was unable to look away. Inside me, Melanie was both elated and wary, watching his reaction. He stared into my eyes with frightening, focused intensity. I could only guess what he was thinking right now. My body began to tremble, shaking us both; I tried to remember how to breathe.

My sharp intake of breath seemed to bring him back to reality. He broke away from my gaze, and his hand dropped. I closed my eyes as my breath and pulse slowly began to return to normal. His arm was still around my shoulders, holding me close to him, but I couldn't summon the strength to move away from him.

Minutes passed. I was just beginning to wonder what would happen when I felt his fingertips gently touch the side of my neck. When I didn't flinch away, he traced the back of my neck until he found the faint scar at the base of my hairline. He sighed.

I couldn't figure out what he was thinking, why he was doing this- whether he believed me, or whether he was trying to prove to himself that I was a seeker. I was hopeful for the former explanation- he still hadn't pushed me away from him. Melanie was thinking along the same lines, still contemplating in the back of my mind.

More time passed. I tentatively opened my eyes and peeked at him, he was staring at my face. Finally he spoke.

"Are you lying to me?" he asked flatly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

I bit my lip, afraid to say anything. He didn't look angry, but I wasn't willing to risk it. I tried to turn away from him, but his hand caught my face.

"You can tell me," he said, frustrated. I shivered, despite how warm my skin felt.

"No," I whispered.

"No?"

I swallowed before I spoke again.

"No, I'm not lying."

He exhaled loudly. I knew he could feel me shaking, I still had no idea what he might be thinking right now.

"All right," he muttered.

I looked at his face. This time, I could decipher his thoughtful expression. No, he wasn't entirely convinced of the truth. But it was close- he wasn't going to take any chances either, wasn't going to hurt me or frighten me if there was a chance that Melanie really was still there in my head- and it was apparent that he thought there was a definite chance of that. Melanie pored over his features, her own hope melting away some of the fear I was feeling.

He dropped his hand away from my face so that he could slide him arm under my legs. He then lifted me off him and moved away to place me back down on the mat where he had been sitting. I stayed still, unsure of what he was doing. He scooted away from me until he was sitting next to the mat, then leaned his back against the rough wall and crossed his arms. He yawned.

"You can sleep," he said, meeting my gaze. "No one will bother you."

Melanie sighed happily in my mind. In the sudden lack of hostility from both her and Jared, I realized that I was very tired.

I dropped my eyes. My aching body sank gratefully into the thin mat. I closed my eyes, and within a few minutes I was gone.

*******

**So, what do you think? Please don't be afraid to tell me; I love getting reviews. And if you like my writing, you can check out my other story "Panacea", just click on my username and go down to 'My Stories'. Cheers. **


End file.
